Is This It? was
Bob Newhart's last album of standup before he finally made his full-time switch to TV and the movies, having already dabbled in both. While the material is quite good, there's not much of it this time out: only 11 minutes on one side and 14 on the other. The bits here step into
Newhart's usual "what if?" mode, putting a witch doctor into the position of a modern doctor, and taking a look into the mischievous thoughts of twins who are still in the womb. The last track, "Pussy Cat" is possibly the most traditional
Newhart cut on record, with the whole setup building up like your typical joke, and then culminating in a punch line. Maybe that's as good a sign as any that he'd run his course as an innovative standup comedian and was ready for other vistas. ~ Sean Carruthers